Swing



(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. W. ZEIGLER. SWING.

No. 409,545. I Patented Aug. 20, 1889.-

N. PETERSuPhoIoiilllogmphar. Wflnhinglun. 0:0.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. W. ZEIGLER.

SWING. No. 409,545. Patented Aug.20, 1889.

k Va I Ulltnesses: 26. Inventor N. PETERS. Phowlilhogmpher. Wauhinglcn.n. c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

GEORGE W. ZEIGLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,545, dated August20, 1889. Application filed September 8, 1888. Serial No. 284,953. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. ZEIGLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSwings; and I do hereby declare the following to bea sufficiently full,clear, and exact description thereof as to enable others skilled in theart to make and use the said invention.

This invention relates to swings for purposes of recreation andthecomfort and exercise of invalids, and has for its object thefurnishing at low cost a safe, portable, and nearly frictionless swing,and a supportingframe therefor susceptible by easy and prompt adjustmentof being converted from a swing having seats to a lounge or bed.

The nature of this invention consists in the construction of the severalparts and the combinations thereof, as hereinafter fully described andclaimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1shows a side elevation of this invention; Fig. 2, an end elevationthereof; Fig. 3, an enlarged central section of a suspending-fulcrum;Fig. 4:, a detached enlarged View of the parts involved in theadjustment of the seats; Fig. 5, a modification thereof; Fig. 6, afastening forsecuring the braces to the legs, shown in elevation Fig. 7,the same in vertical central section; Fig. 8, an enlarged side elevationof the lower end of one of the suspending-links; Fig. 9, an endelevation thereof; Fig. 10, a washer 5 for securing the bolts to thebraces; and Fig. 11 is a side view of my plate having clefts formedtherein. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of my saddle and fulcrumsupported by a horizontal beam, with the different parts broken away.

The same ordinals designate like parts in the several figures.

1 represents the horizontal beam, supported by four legs 2, pivotallyattachedico the beam 1 and diverging both lengthwise and sidewise, so asto rest firmly on the ground, (a divergence from the perpendicular oftwenty-three degrees lengthwise and fifteen degrees sidewise has beenexperimentally ascertained to afford the best stability,) thus forming aper surface. ;a metallic saddle 11, (shown in section in Fig. 3,) havinga central cavity 12, which fits so trestle. The pivots upon which thelegs turn have axes perpendicular to the plane of the sides of the legsand inclined to the sides of the beams, and are the subject of aseparate application for Letters Patent. The legs 2 are bracedlengthwise to each other by diagonal braces 4:, pivotally attached atthe upper end by bolts passing through washers 5 near the upper part ofone of the legs 2, and at the lower end to a point 6 on the leg at theopposite end of the trestle, where it is detachably secured by slottedplates 7, (shown detached in Figs. 6 and 7, hereinafter particularlydescribed,) fastened to each of the braces 4 and.

:other, and by their elasticity hold themselves and the connectedpoints, so as to prevent rattling. The legs 2 at each end are braced toeach other by a horizontal rail 52, which are inserted in clefts 53 incastings 54, secured to the legs 2, as shown in detached view in Fig.10, and hereinafter particularly described. I

On the top 'ofthebeam 1 are placed two fulcrums 10, (see Fig. 3,) havinga convex up- On each of fulcrunis 10 is placed as to rock or roll on thefulcrum 10. The ends 13 of the saddle 11 are bent downwardly, so as tobe below the bearing on the fulcrum 10, and are provided with hooks letand pins 15, on which the suspending-links 16 are hung. Thesuspending-links 16 are made of ductile metal, having apertures 23formed near their upper ends, which fit-upon the pins 15 and hooks 14,being bent to conform to the angular shape of the ends of the saddle 11,the links 16, distended by stretcher 55, having dowels 56, which enterholes in them and are held together by a bolt 57 and nut 58, which holdthem together and prevent the links 16 from becoming unhooked from thesaddle 11 and from the stretcher 55. By removing the nut 58 the partsare readily detached from each other. To the lower ends of the links 16are secured (preferably by riveting) socket-pieces 17, (shown in Figs. 8and 9,) in which pivots 18, secured to the platform 19, rock or roll.The frame or platform 19 consists of parallel side strips 20, united bycross bars or girts 21, on which rest elastic strips 22 parallel withthe side strips 20. The seats 24 are secured to the side strips of theplatform 19 by means of legs or links 25 and 26 at their lower endpivotally attached at 27and 28 to the strips 20, and at their upper ends29 and 30 to the side frames or plates 31 of the seats. The links 25 and26 are parallel, or nearly so, and of equal or nearly equal centrallength. The side frames 31 of the seats 24 are formed of light metallicplates having cavities 32 to receive the slats 51, forming theseat-holes 33 and 34 for the insertion of the pivots 35 and 36,connecting them to the upper ends of the legs 25 and 26.

Concentric wit-h the holes 34 in the side frames 31 are sectors 37,having teeth 38, between which fit projections 39, attached to the legs26, which projections 39, when between the teeth 38, lock the sectors 35and legs 26 in angular adjustment with each other.

As shown in Fig. 4, the pivots 36, which fit into perforations in thelegs 26, have eccentrics 36%, which fit in the sectors 37, and byturning the pivot 36 on its axis the sector by the action of theeccentrics is raisedfrom or forced down on the projection 39. The pivots36 on both sides of the seat, moving together, being formed on oppositeends of the same rod, engage and disengage the sectors on both sides ofthe seat simultaneously As shown in Fig. 5, the bearings of the pivot 36are concentric with each other and the projections 39 are fitted toslide up and down on the legs 26, being guided by tongues orflanges 40,fitting in grooves 41 in the legs and held in adjustment by screws 42and nuts 43.

By disengaging the projections 39 from the teeth 38 of the sector 37,the seats may be placed in different positions, and by re-engaging theprojections 39 with the teeth 38 the seats are securely locked in suchpositions. WVhen extended to the extreme ends, the seats and platformform a cot or couch with an elastic slat bottom. When brought close toeach other in the center, they form a cradle. When placed inintermediate positions, they answer as seats of varying heights to suitthe size of the occupants, or as a lounge with an inclined head or end.

The locking-plate (shown in Figs. 6 and 7) consists of a flat plate 49,applicable to the fiat surface of the braces 4, and teeth or ribs toimpinge thereon, with a raised plate 45, having a space 46 beneath itadapted to receive a button or bolt head 8, and a notch 47, open at thelower end 48 to permit the entrance of the neck of the bolt or buttonhead,

and closed at the upper end 49 to rest on the neck of the bolt-head 8.Holes 50are formed in the plate 49 for the reception of screws to fastenit to the brace 4.

The plates 54 (shown in Fig. 11) are secured to the sides of the legs 2by screws near the lower ends, and are provided with clefts 53, openingupward, of such width as to pinch the cross-brace 52 and securely holdit, thus preventing the legs 2 from spreading laterally.

The washer 5 (shown in Fig. 10) is provided with flanges which hug theedges of the braces 4 and prevent them from splitting.

From the construction of the fulcrums 10 and saddles 11 and sockets 17and pivots 18 at the lower ends of the suspending-links 16 these partsoperate with a rolling motion upon each other, avoiding the frictionincident to and inseparable from a sliding motion, and the swingoscillates with a very slight expenditure of force. The platform 19,being suspended at two points by the parallel links 16, retains ahorizontal position, thus adapting it to purposes of the recliningcouch, cradle, and bed, and rendering the apparatus an importantaddition to the comfort of invalids.

In packing this invention for purposes of storage and transportation thebraces 4 are unhooked at the lower ends from the boltheads 8 and placedin parallel position with the legs 2, the suspending-links 16 areunhooked from the saddles 11 and the pivots 18, and the seats foldeddown close to the platform 19. The legs 2 are then folded in parallelposition to the beam 1, and the entire structure is thus reduced to asmall bulk.

In making swings embodying this invention the metallic parts are theonly portions which require special appliances or patterns for theirproduction, the wooden parts being easily procurable in any part of thecountry Where such structures are required for use, and the metallicparts are consequently merchantable as articles of manufacture, and aretherefore hereinafter separately so claimed.

Having described this invention and the construction and operationthereof, what I claim isplatform suspended from the beam 1. by links 16,having their hearings in sockets secured to the said platform, with theseats 24, provided with toothed sectors and pivoted links adapted tosupport the said seat upon the said platform, two of the said linkshaving projections formed thereon and adapted to lock the said sectorsin different positions, substantially as shown, and for the purpose setforth.

2. The saddle 11, having a central concave bearing, the convex fulcrum10, provided with downwardly-extending ends 13, having hooks 14 and pins15, and the suspending-links 16, all arranged substantially as setforth.

3. In a portable swing, the platform 19 and means for supporting thesame, consisting of IIO 1. In a portable swing, the combination of a thefulcrum-saddle 11, the links 16, hooked thereon, and the beam 1,adaptedto support the said saddle, in combination with the seats 24, links 25and 26, pivoted to the said seats and to the said platform, stopssecured to the links 26, and sectors secured to the said seats, havingradial teeth engaging the said stops, substant ally as and for thepurpose set forth.

4. In a portable swing, the perforated suspending-links 16, the saddle11,and its hooks and pins, the said links adapted to fit upon said hooksand pins, in combination with the platform 19, the fulcrum 10, and thebeam 1, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a portable swing, the beam 1, links I 5 16, platform 19, links 25and 26, and stops 39, secured to the links 26, in combination with theseats 24 and the perforated sectors having radial teeth adapted toengage With the said stops, substantially as shown, and for the 20 ALEX.H. SIEGEL, JAMES P. PETIT.

